Marine

Johannes

While Ionescu was not under an official minutes restriction for Tuesday’s game, her 27 minutes were nearly five fewer than her season average (31.7). While the Liberty guard did not offer much in the way of scoring, missing both of her three-point attempts, she was effective as a playmaker for others. Ionescu finished with nine assists and two turnovers, with the former tally matching her total in New York’s August 25 win over the Sun. While Rebekah Gardner (three points and one three-pointer in 15 minutes) remained in the rotation, Marine Johannès only played the final two minutes. The minutes distribution behind starting guards Ionescu and Natasha Cloud (11/1/5 with one three-pointer) will be something to watch when the Liberty open postseason play on Sunday.

Ionescu will miss her fourth straight game since suffering an injury to her left toe during a practice on August 27. While Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello noted Ionescu is much better and will play when the team returns home for a game on Tuesday, she expressed that it has taken longer than expected for Ionescu to return. Brondello explained that the delay was because of Ionescu’s comfort level and the fact that she struggled pushing off while running without pain. On Tuesday the Liberty started Kennedy Burke in Ionescu’s place, but expect Marine Johannès and Rebekah Gardner to have meaningful minutes as well on Friday night.

Tuesday will mark the third straight game the former first-overall pick will miss as New York’s regular season nears its conclusion. The Liberty have split the two previous games that Ionescu has been sidelined for, and lost three of their last five games overall. Without the services of their nearly 19.0-point per game all-star guard, the Liberty will face a sixth-seeded Valkyries team on Tuesday that they hold just a 2.5-game advantage over in the standings. Marine Johannes is a candidate to replace Ionescu in the starting lineup, as is Emma Meeseman.

Back in the Liberty lineup after missing two games with a nose injury, Cloud shot the ball well Saturday night. However, the overall impact was muted, as New York played without the injured Sabrina Ionescu (toe) again. Cloud played 31 minutes on Saturday, two more than her season average, with the playing time likely impacted by Ionescu’s absence. Marine Johannès, who started for Cloud on Thursday, played 15 minutes against Phoenix, finishing with four points and one blocked shot. New York continues its road trip on Tuesday against the Valkyries.

Cloud is back in the Liberty lineup after missing two games with a nose injury. The veteran guard will play with a protective mask, but she’ll give New York a welcome boost on both ends of the floor. Marine Johannès could remain in the starting lineup Saturday night, as the Liberty will be without Sabrina Ionescu.

Not much offensive production was required of Stewart on a night in which the Liberty were without Sabrina Ionescu (toe), Natasha Cloud (nose), and Jonquel Jones (illness). The former first-overall pick logged 24 minutes and scored more than half of her points in the final five minutes as the Liberty held a large lead — most of the game, it was Isabelle Harrison and Marine Johannes who led New York in scoring. The Liberty’s winning formula on Thursday might not be repeated many other times this season, but it was notable that the banged-up team did not have to rely too heavily on Stewart in only her second game back from a leg injury that had sidelined her for almost a month.

Johannes slotted into New York’s opening unit on Thursday for the injured Sabrina Ionescu (toe) and recorded a productive outing in her fifth start of the season. The veteran guard tallied a nine-point first and ultimately ended up scoring in double figures for the 12th time this year and the first time since August 16 against the Lynx. Johannes is usually a reliable option in spot starts, and depending on Ionescu’s status moving forward, Johannes has a chance to keep putting up solid numbers.

Burke will earn her seventh start of the season on Monday, as she replaces Natasha Cloud (nose) in the opening unit. New York is also welcoming Breanna Stewart back to the lineup after a knee injury kept her on the sideline for the previous 13 games. The lineup changes send Marine Johannes and Emma Meeseman back to the bench, where they’ll lead a strong reserve unit. Burke will likely rejoin the bench unit once Cloud returns. In the meantime, the Liberty will look to end a two-game losing streak on Monday when they face the Sun.

While the Liberty will welcome Breanna Stewart back to the lineup on Monday, they’ll lose their starting point guard, Cloud, due to a nose injury suffered in the third quarter of Saturday’s loss to the Dream. The veteran guard had missed only one game previously in her debut season with the Liberty, averaging 10.0 points and 5.3 assists per game across 36 appearances. Marine Johannes is a candidate to replace Cloud in New York’s starting lineup on Monday, and so is Rebekah Gardner.

Ionescu is back after not traveling with the team to Saturday’s loss to the Dream due to a left foot injury. With Breanna Stewart returning from a knee injury, Monday’s game could be the first since July 26 in which New York has used its preferred starting five. Whether or not that happens depends on the availability of Natasha Cloud, who is a game-time decision due to a nose injury. Ionescu’s return means Marine Johannès will head to the bench after starting against Atlanta.